What better time to celebrate the healthful aspect of chocolate than in the month of cold grey days and Valentine's Day! This delicious delight has quite a history that spans many cultures. In approximately 1,500 B.C the Maya and Olmec people discovered the benefits of chocolate. They used roasted cocoa paste as the primary ingredient in a bitter drink hailed for its nourishing qualities and ability to boost both energy and stamina. It was also used to treat stomach and intestinal complaints, infections, fever and coughs. It also played an important role in their religion, society and economy.
Until the 1500s, no one outside of the these cultures knew anything at all about chocolate. It wasn’t until Cortés conquered Mexico in 1521 that the Spanish began to learn about the delicious flavor of chocolate. After tasting it, his men dubbed it the “divine drink” that “builds up resistance and fights fatigue.” Observing that “a cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.”